Raiden
by Omniwriter1234
Summary: What if Ichika Orimura gained a different IS that day? One part of something bigger...something dangerous? Can Ichika survive this adventure or will he let Jack out to have some fun?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do now own and/or claim to own in any way, shape, and/or form any recognizable and/or licensed material appearing in this work of fiction. I am not attempting to and/or making a profit in any way, shape, and/or form. All recognizable and/or licensed material appearing in this work of fiction belongs to the respective owners in every way, shape, and/or form under the law.

AN: Well, I have no idea why I wrote this and I also know very little about Infinite Stratos so I'm basically do what I'll always do when it comes to this: research, research, research, if I feel like it or just wing it. Anyway, here is what will probably just amount to a oneshot since I can't really find much reason to continue it.

* * *

"Are you done shooting me yet?" Ichika Orimura called out to his opponent as he slowly pulled himself out of the wall his opponent's latest shot had sent him crashing into, wincing as his sore body was forced to move as another shot came down in answer, something he narrowly dodged.

"Ready to give up yet?" Cecilia Alcott looked down at him literally, she was a good twenty or so meters above him, not counting the large distance between the two of them since her IS was a Long-Range Specialist, to her such a distance between them was either an assured victory or defeat if he managed to close it, something very unlikely, borderline impossible at this point. "Admit your defeat and I may not embarrass you that much more."

"Well I guess this is going to hurt for a little while longer." Ichika slowly moved out into the middle of the arena, Cecilia still too far away for him to even consider making a charge against Blue Tears. It also didn't help that his personal IS had to have been running late since he was stuck out in a training version, something that made his fight with Cecilia only that much more difficult.

'Okay, time to think. I am going to lose instantly if I charge her, she'll use all that time to line up a shot and take out the rest of my shields but if I keep where I am she'll eventually just wear them out anyway. Oh man, this is impossible! If I charge I lose but if I stay where I am I'll lose. There's no way to win!'

"So, why is he just standing there?" a curious student asked her teacher, Chifuyu Orimura, both Ichika's sister and her homeroom teacher.

"He's having another of his moments I suppose, something I swore I be-I mean taught him to stop doing." Chifuyu's almost slip was met with a somewhat incredulous look from both her nearby students who managed to hear it and her assistant Maya Yamada.

'She may not have been the best person to leave a chi-' Maya's thoughts were interrupted when Ichika failed to dodge another laser from Cecilia and ended up hitting the wall beneath them and he let out a groan as he pulled himself free from it.

"Are you ready to give up yet Orimura?" Cecilia was already lining up her next shot, an arrogant smirk on her face with good reason. A few more well placed shots would finish off Ichika and they both knew, his shields were pathetically low at this point and nothing short of a miracle would let him even hit her.

* * *

"What are the odds that Chi-chan's little Ichi-kun makes it through this fight?"

"Response: Prefight Analysis: 28% chance of victory, currently it is less than 13% from analysis of his current state."

"Well, that wouldn't be fun. Access Prototype and input personal coding for Ichika Orimura, developed by my fabulous self of course."

"Accessing current IS of Subject: Ichika Orimura."

* * *

Ichika dodged Cecilia's next shot, surprising himself and his surprise was enough for a second shot to strike him, sending him plummeting down for a moment before he managed to stop himself and quickly shoot himself back to his previous height, narrowly avoiding smashing into the ground and probably getting shot again.

'She's going to win this, there really is nothing I can do.' Ichika sighed as he realized he was going to lose before he saw Cecilia taking aim again, this one undoubtedly to end the pitiful match she had let continue for so long. 'In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have accepted this match, I was only even in an IS once before this fight.'

"I really don't think I want to be Class Representative now that I think about it." Ichika dodged Cecilia's next shot, surprising the UK native, as the teen used her shock to his advantage, charging her with little regard for the outcome. "But I can't just let what you said about Japan go I guess!"

'Please let this work.'

* * *

"Prototype Accessed: Inputting Coding: Ichi-kun."

"Oh I know Chi-chan will just love me for giving her little brother this one!"

"Response: Not likely Creator."

"Shut up! Now begin the download!"

"Download has already completed. Configure IS System Raiden with current IS, Status: Prototype, of Subject: Ichika Orimura?"

"Yes!"

"Configuring."

* * *

In the middle of Ichika's charge, he froze as not only did a burning pain suddenly rip through him but his IS seemed to shut down as it rapidly plummeted to the ground as his sister merely watched him, perhaps knowing what was happening when the IS suddenly reactivated and quickly covered Ichika in what many would describe as a metal shell with red electricity flowing over it erratically, enough to stop anyone from going near him. At least it appeared to be so as she merely sighed as she shook her head.

"Why now of all times?"

* * *

"Configuration Complete."

"Yes...it all shall be completed now...MY GREAT PLAN!"

"Response: You scare me Creator."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Restructured Response: You terrify me Creator."

"MY GREAT PLAN, phase 1, WILL BE COMPLETE SOON!"

"Error."

"WHAT!"

"Error detected. Configuration failed."

"Why? I already handled the bug!"

"Error. Rebooting IS Raiden."

* * *

In the IS Academy, Ichika struggled to free himself from his suddenly closed IS, unable to move for the most part as he dropped to the floor, the IS completely encasing him and his struggles, however weak there were, were quickly proved worthless when he found himself completely encased by the time he hit the floor. As if to make matters worse, the IS began tightening around him, already closed and now it looked like he was going to be crushed. Well that was his thought before he felt something begin covering his feet, what seemed to be water. It looked like he was going to drown instead, an equally as unpleasant option as being crushed by a malfunctioning IS.

"Let me out of this thing!" Ichika would have been banging on the metal around him if he didn't find his hands still locked in the IS, the same with his feet as he felt something press against his back next, something that was cold and seemed almost like a backpack without straps just before he felt something clamp down across his chest even as whatever was at his feet began rising. Now knowing whatever it was definitely wasn't water as he felt his feet become encased in something, something cold that was tight against his skin, Ichika furtively began to struggle again, something stopped when red electricity raced across his body, bringing an odd tingling sensation across his body before it caused a paralyzing effect as he found his body unresponsive now.

'What's going on!' Ichika panicked when whatever was happening reached his face, something covering it despite the liquid just being at his waist, quickly working up to his eyes and then there was nothing but a blinding pain that wouldn't stop as he felt as if knives were being driven into his eyes at the same time the same sensation ripped through his body in waves as whatever was on his back seemed to expel the same liquid like material that first appeared at his feet, quickly covering his entire body in the same material the liquid had left behind as it rose.

It was over in moments, the feeling of his entire body covered still there but the pain was gone but there was something more important than that. It was a feeling he never thought he would be able to experience, something he thought only someone like his sister, Houki, or even Cecilia would ever understand, would ever get to experience. It was the feeling of completeness, of being one with your IS that he was feeling now and something he didn't want to lose now. It felt as if a piece of himself he was missing was finally back even if he never realized it was missing. It was as if he had been missing it all this time yet never knew, never even knew it had existed until now, this feeling of completion responsible for finally telling him what he had lived without for so long, something that now seemed impossible.

'This feeling...' Ichika let out a sigh, one of content as he held onto this odd but pleasant feeling that seemed to cover him, stemming from the odd covering encasing his entire body at this point, something not so unpleasant anymore. Now, it was more comforting than anything else, that feeling of being complete still there as well as being protected but there was also something else, something he couldn't describe that felt both foreign and natural at the same time, like it belonged but didn't belong if that made any sense.

'Is this what all those girls feel?' Ichika couldn't help but ask as he thought of all of the girls in the academy and all of the women around the world with Personal IS. Being able to experience a feeling like he was right now was nearly indescribable, trying to even begin to explain it would be impossible.

'No, no, it's different.' Ichika came to that realization as he felt something he never really felt before.

'This...this desire is different...this desire isn't normal...' Ichika slowly rose to his feet, pulling away the suddenly brittle remnants of the IS around him as he slowly pulled himself free, his mind elsewhere as everything in front of him came into view.

Particularly the fact that Cecilia had her rifle lowered, pointed at him along with her four Bits above him, targeting him from the looks of it and seemingly ready to fire along with the UK Representative if the growing light from the barrel of her rifle was any indication of what was to come.

'That doesn't matter now.'

Ichika didn't know how but he knew where the blade was and so slowly drew it off of his back, mindful of the sharp edge the blade held as lightning seemed to race up and down it as he held it out in front of him, falling into a basic kendo stance Houki had drilled into him while he was practicing for the fight. Something that became very useful as a wave of information hit him, correcting his stance even as he remembered Houki's many "lessons" throughout their training and the time he had to prepare.

"It looks like you did have a Personal IS after all but it won't help you at this point however strange it may be." Cecilia took careful aim, circling around him as the Bits above him would surely keep him from taking off and leave him an easy shot for her to finish the match. "Even if you decided to drop that pathetic disguise now, it won't save you now. If you try to get in the air I'll shoot you down before you get far."

"I highly doubt that." Ichika didn't bother looking up at her as he whipped his sword down to his side as he held up one hand, three fingers held up. "It'll take me no more than three minutes to end this fight now."

"Enough talk." Cecilia didn't waste any more time, firing another shot, this one made to end the battle when Ichika simply vanished from his spot on the ground, appearing on top of one of her Bits, his sword held out at his side as the Bit split in two, straight down the middle as Ichika tensed before leaping to the next, simply a streak of silver as he appeared for only a moment at the next one, seemingly floating in the air next to it before the second Bit fell into pieces as it dropped out of the air. The last two bits flew high up to Cecilia as she observed Ichika with analytical eyes, leveling her rifle towards him as her two remaining Bits circled around her as she flew higher.

"I take it your IS should be made for Close Quarters combat then?" Cecilia, even as she spoke, kept her eyes focused on Ichika's blade, electricity racing up and down it as he dropped back to the ground, mindful of what the weapon could do with the boy related to a woman who rose to fame by using a sword with her IS.

"No idea but I just need the sword to beat you. I'll figure out what this thing can do after this." Ichika's words were met with a glare from Cecilia as she merely took aim with her rifle.

"I highly doubt that." Cecilia fired, several times in rapid succession, ensuring that Ichika would be finished and she would be the Class Representative instead of some no talent man who was only admitted because he was such a rare case, people like him had no true skill, unlike someone like her. She was an A-Class Pilot and one of the best at the school, proven even more so by her status as the UK Representative at the Academy as well as her Personal IS. When you compared someone like her to someone like Ichika Orimura, at best only riding on the coattails of his sister's fame, he was nothing. He didn't deserve to be the Class Representative, such an incompetent Pilot would destroy the school's reputation if she allowed something like that to happen.

For Ichika, the world seemed to slow down as the red electricity that had frozen his body when he was trapped in the IS suddenly arched across his body, bringing a sudden clarity to him as he simply sidestepped the lasers, the world speeding up back to normal as they hit the ground. He allowed himself a small grin at Cecilia's shock as he seemed to have dodged the shots without difficulty, a vast difference from when he could barely avoid them when she was hardly serious about the fight. Now through he seemed to have grown in skill by leaps and bound, something that shouldn't be possible unless-

'Of course, he must have been trying to trick me this entire time. Slowing abysmal skills in a attempt to draw me closer. He must think he can win at close range, not knowing I've already prepared for this.' Cecilia took another shot with her rifle, Ichika once again dodging it by sidestepping it before a second slammed into his shoulder but it hardly budged him, doing almost no damage to him.

"Nice try Alcott." Ichika's voice seemed to scream that he was smirking as the electricity racing across his body dimmed. "But it's going to take more than that to stop me!"

"Let's see how much you can take then!" Cecilia fired off several shots in rapid succession, Ichika dodging them all before a final shot aimed for his head, stopped by the flat of the blade in his hand, the move almost lazy as he seemed to be disappointed at the battle.

"How sad." Ichika let out a sigh of what seemed to be disappointment as he sheathed his blade across his back. "I expected better aim from someone like you."

"I'll sh-" Cecilia's next move was interrupted when several knives, glowing red hot, would have buried into the leg of the IS if not for the shield, something that rapidly depleted as it deflected the knives.

"Be quiet!" Ichika didn't move his hand from where it had ended once he had thrown the knives at Cecilia, an anger not fitting to him suddenly filling his voice as the armor covering his face slid away, going onto the side of his head as burning red eyes locked with Cecilia's blue eyes, the girl shocked as she could have sworn his eyes were dark brown before, something many could say the same but now they were like the color of blood.

"I am sick and tired of hearing you talk!" Ichika's rage towards Cecilia made his sister narrow her eyes as she looked over the odd IS, if it could even be called one after what she had observed and what she knew of that particular invention, that her brother had emerged in and a hope that her guess on how it had gotten onto him was wrong or else Cecilia was in massive danger, something she wasn't sure she could stop if it came to it.

'I guess I can only hope he can keep control of himself, something I doubt when it comes to that _thing_ she created. Even I didn't manage to get control of it for the longest so I switched out with the other one at the last minute.'

"Now," Ichika crouched slightly as the armor slid back into place, completely covering his face behind a large black slanted visor across the upper half of his face while something like an armored mask covered the lower half of his face as he drew his sword off his back, red lightning beginning to race across his body and something seemingly coming from the sword in his hands to many of the onlookers. ",let's see what you've got!"

Showing that he wasn't as grounded as everyone though ever since he had began his counterattack, Ichika seemingly ran into the air, his sword easily sending away the several rapid blasts from Cecilia as she did her best to put as much distance between her and Ichika as possible. It was seemingly in vain as Ichika closed the distance as fast as she could make it as he began to laugh as Cecilia seemed to panic as he got closer and closer to her, showing no signs of stopping.

"OKAY! OKAY! You win!" Cecilia's words were met with an almost mad dismissal from Ichika as he continued to dodge her shots, not stopping his charge towards her in the slightest and instead seemingly increasing his speed, something that made Cecilia fire several more shots at him, shots that he dodged with what looked to be ease.

"That's not what I want!" the electricity across his body grew, the red electricity on his body seemingly increasing his speed as it doubled, the distance between the two now practically nothing.

"Get away from me!" Cecilia seemed to snap as the hidden Missile Pods she kept on her IS fired, hitting Ichika at point blank range and hopefully stopping him as she rose her rifle, panicked as she did her best to focus on the cloud of smoke in front of her.

"Hmm, that was better than I thought." Ichika walked out of the smoke, his sword held in one hand as the other pried away one half of the ruined visor from his face, showing an expression of half pain and half glee. "I never thought you had something like that literally up your skirt."

A steady stream of blood began to run down his face from his hair, Ichika clawed hands reaching up and chuckling as his hand came away smudged with a small amount of blood. His laughter only grew at the horrified expression on Cecilia's face as his hand reached up to rip away the other half of his ruined visor, more blood beginning to run down his face as he did so.

"I thought I could end you there but it looks like this is going to take a little while longer." Ichika's eyes gained a coldness that made Chifuyu narrow her eyes as she saw him raise his blade up, both hands on it and it held up at his side. "It looks like I'm going to have to take this seriously ."

'So, he was too weak in the end, it seems.'

'This feeling...'

Ichika charged then, dodging the next shot from Cecilia even as her Bits moved in front of him, firing off several weak shots that didn't get far as he knocked them aside with his sword. He rushed the two Bits with little thought, something that seemed to work as he didn't seem that worried when he was right in front of a Bit as his blade knocked away another shot from the IS attachment. His laughter growing as he dodged Ceclia's several rapid shots towards him, all of them weak and dispersed with ease by a single rapid slash from his sword. With little difficulty, he threw a set of glowing hot knives towards Cecilia even as he dodged a sudden increase in the number of shots each Bit fired, even if they were all pitifully weak.

"That IS, could it be? Did she really...No, not even she would do something like that." Chifuyu spoke mainly to herself, shaking herself of her thoughts as not even she would do something as crazy as give Ichika that IS, something that could potentially kill him, instead she focused her attention back on Ichika's mad charge towards Cecilia as a burning hot knife ripped through one Bit before his sword plunged into another, stopping their attack on him before Cecilia fired another shot at him, this one aimed at his head.

'...I...'

Ichika deflected it with his blade, sending it to the side and hitting the wall as he paused for only a moment.

"Looks like you only had enough for six Alcott. Shame for you that's all six then!" Ichika's grin widened at Cecilia's growing fear as he once again sheathed his sword, instead a knife slid into each hand, red electricity running down the glowing red super heated blades. "You're all out of tricks now."

'It looks like I was right.' Chifuyu frowned as she looked over Ichika, the half pained and half gleeful expression on his face hard for her to watch as he charged Cecilia, his knives flashing through the air as he knocked away her shots with ease.

'...it...'

Ichika's grin widened when he failed to fully dodge a laser he failed to deflect, it punching through the armor over the lower half of his left leg and making the male laugh at the pain ripping through him as his speed seemed to only increase as he ripped through the next laser with both knives before tossing them away and instead his hands reached for the sword at his side.

'...it...'

Ichika finally reached Cecilia, his grin almost maniacal as he stood with his sword held above his head clasped in both hands and prepared to end the girl in front of him.

"ICHIKA!" Chifuyu screamed at her brother, making him freeze as the red electricity covering his blade stopped, Ichika's body suddenly wracked with tremors as his maniacal grin was gone, replaced by an expression of pure horror as he looked at what he had nearly done, his senses finally coming back to him.

'This feeling...it makes me feel like a monster, like I'm a killer.'

'But I am.'

"ARGH!" Ichika's hands slipped from the blade to instead hold his head in his hands as he let out a scream of raw agony, the silver armor covering him seemingly dissolving as he continued to scream, holding his head in both hands as white hot agony ripped through him. The disappearance of the silver armor wasn't at the best time either as he quickly started falling and his impact with the ground wouldn't end well from how high he was, close to forty or so meters above the ground. He seemed mindless of the fact as he only kept screaming, curling into himself, his hands balling into fists in his changed hair. Since his armor was entirely gone, everyone present could now see the platinum silver hair he now sported instead of the black hair he once hand, Chifuyu would guess it was a side effect of the armor of that _thing_ covering him after it managed to get into his IS, something that wouldn't have happened if his Personal IS hadn't been delayed.

'She must have planned it.' Chifuyu thought with some annoyance as both the delaying of his Personal IS as well as the only IS they could find being that specific Prototype lining up, something she should have noticed much earlier and called off the match until his IS had arrived, something that she now knew would never happen. It was probably never even constructed if she really was behind everything that happened.

"Ch-" Maya couldn't even finish a single word as Chifuyu was simply gone, encased in her Personal IS and already she had caught the falling Ichika, his screams only growing as Chifuyu showed some minor discomfort as she quickly flew back over to where she was standing and gently set Ichika on the ground, showing the very real wounds the armor had hidden once it had covered him and the reason for her discomfort as his body seemed to be in convulsions.

"What happened to him? The IS shielding should have prevented anything from actually hurting him." Maya stood above Chifuyu as she crouched down next to her brother, looking for something but seemingly not finding it as she instead moved to stop one of the many injuries Ichika had gotten from bleeding.

"The IS was tampered with, so was the Prototype." Chifuyu's words were only heard by Maya, her assistant nodding as she left, heading out the room.

'If I didn't know you better, I would be swearing to kill you now. Luckily, I do and so I'll only do my best not to break most of your bones. As long as he is okay after all this, if he isn't than I'll be coming for you.' Chifuyu pulled herself away from her vengeful thoughts as she instead focused on her brother as she did her best to stop him from hurting himself anymore than the match already did, something that would have been impossible in every IS but the one he had emerged in.

"Ichika...please be okay. Please, for your sister, be okay." the only answer to her words was a groan as pain seemed to continue to rack his body, something she couldn't tell the reason why.

"Chifuyu, how is he?" Houki Shinonono stepped past the gathered crowd around the only male student in the school, his body still shaking even if he stopped screaming, his hands held down by Chifuyu as she knelt next to him, softly whispering something to her little brother, something that seemed to calm him down as his body stopped it's violent shaking slowly, even if by only a little over the minutes after Chifuyu had brought him over and laid him down.

"Chifuyu-nee...please..." Ichika's body trembled as his sister struggled to keep him from hurting himself. "...it...it..."

"What happened to him out there?"

"I think he went crazy, men can't pilot an IS."

"Maybe's he's always been crazy I mean how else can a man pilot an IS?"

"But he didn't even have one, he had that weird armor on."

"Yeah, how are we sure he wasn't just faking it with that armor of his?"

"He must have been faking it all this time!"

"Shut up!" Houki turned to the crowd as they began to glare down at Ichika, some even moving towards him with nothing pleasant in mind. "Can't you idiots see he's in pa-"

"LET ME GO!" Ichika opened his shining red eyes, a positively murderous glare directed at his sister as he struggled to free himself from her grip. "LET ME GO! LET ME GO! LET ME GO!"

The same red electricity that raced across him when he was wearing the armor appeared across his body, making him scream as Chifuyu stubbornly held on as Ichika's red eyes seemed crazed to most around him, the crowd taking several steps back as he seemed to have lost it. That wasn't far from the truth as Ichika began screaming again as the electricity grew, forcing Chifuyu to step away from her screaming brother.

It seemed to be for the best as Ichika violently spasmed for a moment longer before becoming deathly still, the electricity gone and Chifuyu sighed in relief when nothing else happened, quickly picking up her brother and rushing from the room, no doubt heading to the infirmary with one thought on her mind as a certain conversation came to the forefront of her, something she was sure she had forgotten.

 _"Look a this Chi-chan! Isn't it just incredible!"_

 _"It seems..."_

 _"Awesome? Cute? Incredible?"_

 _"Dangerous, look at it, it doesn't even have an energy shield like any other design."_

 _"I know, that's why it's armor Chi-chan!"_

 _"I don't know...perhaps we should try something else?"_

 _"No! We're using this one!"_

 _"Ta-"_

 _"My name is THE GREAT TABANE!"_

 _"...ugh, there's no winning when you're like this...fine, but gre-"_

 _"THE GREAT!"_

 _"...the great Tabane, I'm not going to get in this thing, it's too dangerous."_

 _"Then maybe you're little brother can do it! Right?"_

 _"If you drag him into this Tabane I can't promise you lasting long. I suggest you keep it away from him. Far away from him."_

 _"Buzzkill, but, anyway, we can go with your plan, I'll scrap Raiden for now."_

 _"Yes, the other models were more stylish as well."_

 _"I'll get you in it one day Chi-chan."_

 _"That isn't happening Tabane, not in this life."_

 _"Then maybe your little brother when he's older, it seems to fit him better anyway."_

 _"Tabane, what are you t-"_

 _"I guess I'll just toss it out like the other ones."_

 _"Good."_

'Tabane, if you've hurt my little brother as bad as I think you did, I swear I will kill you. I don't care for your reasons, I told you to keep that thing away from him.'

Glancing down at her little brother in her arms, Chifuyu held back the desire to curse one of her oldest and once upon a time best friend. Now, she had more reason to hate her than anything else at what she had put her little brother through today.

"You didn't even fix it, did you?" She was talking to herself, she didn't expect an answer.

"That would be the correct answer." At the mechanical voice behind her she saw what looked to be a wolf but clearly mechanical at the same time due to it's sheer size, several times bigger than the average wolf but at the same time not an extremely large one either.

"Wolf." Chifuyu coldly regarded the mechanical beast in front of her, it's red optics focused on the teen in her arms.

"Knight." Wolf still responded to her voice pattern it seems, something she didn't know how to act about and whether to be happy or angry at such a thing. "Creator wishes for me to tell you it is nice to see you." It's whip like tail, tipped by something not out of place on a claw machine, seemed to idly twitch behind it but she knew better, it was ready to dart forward at a moment's notice and she could guess it's target. Ichika at best or the new addition she felt at his wrist, a gray and black metal vambrace on his right arm. "Do you have a response?"

"I think she already knows it Wolf." Despite herself, Chifuyu couldn't help but be somewhat amazed at the robotic animal in front of her, not at it's design but the almost human like mind behind it. Tabane had put her all into creating Wolf and it showed anytime she saw it. "Now, what are you doing here?"

"The Creator wishes for me to watch over Subject: Ichika." Wolf moved his red optics from Ichika to Chifuyu, staring into her eyes. "My primary directive has already been fulfilled."

"So you were the one who tampered with the Prototype then, right?" Chifuyu's question was met with a shake of Wolf's mechanical head.

"That is incorrect, I have never approached an IS Prototype on my current mission."

"And how long has that been?" She had to be sure, she couldn't let Wolf go without knowing for sure he didn't have anything to do with what happened to Ichika and that _thing_ attached to him.

"Current duration is calculated at 26 days, 13 hours, and 45 seconds by internal systems." Chifuyu didn't hide her sign of relief as she glanced down to Ichika, her eyes drawn to the vambrace on Ichika's arm, the sign that _thing_ had attached to him.

"Of course, so she's planned this on the fly I guess." Chifuyu didn't move her eyes off of Ichika even as the machine took a step towards her.

"Your analysis of Creator is likely correct." Wolf paused, merely observing the unmoving Chifuyu.

"Just tell me why you're here Wolf, what does she want you to do?"

"My secondary directive is that of Subject: Ichika Orimura."

"And what does that mean?" She needed to know what he would do before she could take her next step.

"Surveillance, protection, and maintenance when needed of Subject: Ichika Orimura's IS identified as Raiden."

"So she sent you to make sure he didn't lose it then?"

"Your analysis of Creator is likely correct." Wolf wasn't affected in anyway when Chifuyu held Ichika out to him.

"Then take him." Wolf obeyed, wordlessly wrapping it's whip like tail around Ichika's waist and settling him on his back.

"Thank you."

"Take care of him Wolf, I need to make sure he's safe when he wakes up." Without giving herself the opportunity to try and stop herself, she walked off.

"My new primary directive will be his safety." Pausing at his words, Chifuyu didn't face Wolf, knowing if she did she wouldn't be able to walk away.

"Thank you." Wolf turned away and raced off, Chifuyu composing herself before she managed to walk off, hoping that she could keep her brother safe.

He was already in danger due to being the only male ever able to us an IS but now his strange IS would only put him in more danger and put him in the eyes of many dangerous people, too many for Chifuyu's liking.

'Ichika, I promised to protect you and I will, just please be safe for now.' If she was lucky, Maya would have already gotten in contact with the right people and they would be on damage control for now or else Ichika wasn't going to wake up in the best of circumstances, most likely in some research center for IS as another experiment for the scientists there. 'Please let them have done their jobs.'

Her eyes hardened, promising pain. 'Or else I'll give them a good reason to start.'

She couldn't go back, she could only go forward and she would be damned if she lost her little brother to anything like this.

* * *

AN: Well, that's it...so this may go past a oneshot.

Peace.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I. Own. Nothing.

AN: Overall update on Raiden will appear at the end. That is all.

* * *

The stark white walls of the infirmary were not a comfort to the sole occupant in the room, neither was the steady beeping and clicking of the various instruments surrounding the bed a young teen laid on.

"Ichika..." Chifuyu Orimura ran a hand through her brother's silver hair, hoping he would wake up. "Why did it have to be you..."

"Wolf, analyze." Wolf turned it's red eyes to Ichika, turning away from the door for once, and turned to face Chifuyu moments later.

"Analysis is complete. Primary information. Physical health of Subject Ichika Orimura remains at acceptable range in comparison to established parameters. Biometric scans indicate an increase in adrenaline with trace amounts of classified substance. Additional information. IS Raiden has completed bonding process with Subject Ichika Orimura. Any attempts to remove IS Raiden will result with 100% chance of fatality to Subject Ichika Orimura." Wolf turned away from the bed as it finished its scan, turning it's eyes back on the doorway. "Creator apologizes for these results. Information from remote diagnostic shows IS Raiden was unintentionally rebooted by unforeseen factors during the initial bonding procedure."

"So she did end up fixing that little problem then?" Chifuyu didn't bother to glance over at Wolf as the creation of her, if not her only, friend, who was also responsible for nearly killing her brother, continued the perimeter scans she knew the machine was conducting now. "I figured she would figure it out eventually but never this soon with how scatter brained she was once she finally got _that one_ up and running."

"Your assumption is correct. Creator discovered and isolated an error in the programming for IS Raiden only after learning of Subject Ichika Orimura use of a Practice IS and his enrollment into the IS Academy."

"I guess she just needed the right motivation." Chifuyu sighed as she looked over Ichika's unmoving form. He remained only breathing after the shock his system must have went through when Raiden had activated. After it had bonded itself to him.

"IS Raiden was to be completed by the end of this year. Files show Creator was behind on the established schedule due to other projects." Wolf turned to face Chifuyu, clearly finished at the door for the moment. "All scans have been completed. Threats to Subject Ichika Orimura are not within range of my sensors."

"You sound so sure of it, I didn't know she gave you that much in her little updates." Chifuyu looked away from her brother at the moment, turning to see Wolf merely observing her for the moment before it's red eyes flashed as they swept the room once again. It was closer to a mechanical tic than actually useful now. Simply done to occupy its systems for a moment while it created a response.

"Recent observations and data collection have lead to my conclusion. Subject Ichika Orimura has threats around the globe at the moment but scans indicate none are currently within range to cause possible long term damage. Results of scans for short term damage or incapacitation remain inconclusive." Wolf walked up to Chifuyu, its red optics locking with her eyes as it bowed its head. "Previous observation data directs me to apologize for not intervening earlier. Creator did not intend for IS Raiden to reboot before bonding with Subject Ichika Orimura. I hypothesize Creator would wish to apologize as well."

"It's not your fault Wolf." Chifuyu only let out a sigh as she continued to run her hands through Ichika's silver hair. "I don't even blame Tabane to be honest."

"I do not understand." Wolf moved over to Ichika, red optics flashing as they examined Ichika in almost every way imaginable. "The current condition of Subject Ichika Orimura is a direct result of the bonding to IS Raiden and IS Raiden was sent by Creator with those intentions. Therefore, the only logical conclusion is that Creator is at fault for deploying IS Raiden to Subject Ichika Orimura. Scanning of data of similar events indicate Knight should experience intense negative emotions towards Creator in this situation."

"It's never that simple Wolf." Chifuyu offered the mechanical wolf a sad smile as she continued to run her hand through Ichika's hair. "Tabane, despite all of this, will still be my friend. Ichika, even if things look bad now, will pull through this and I'll have my little brother back and eventually..."

"IS Raiden cannot be removed from Subject Ichika Orimura, the bonding process is permanent. Attempts of removal will lead to-"

"I know. That's why I know Ichika is going to one day learn how to control Raiden, either with my help or because he's too stubborn to stop." At the thought, Chifuyu couldn't help but let a small smile spread across her lips. "I know that he'll pull through this and he'll be okay even if its a rocky start."

"I still do not understand why you have no negative thoughts towards Creator." Wolf stood up on its hind legs, forward extremities dropping down on the bed as it focused more intently on Ichika as its eyes analyzed the only male IS user in the world. "I shall reiterate my point. Subject Ichika Orimura is in current situation through the direct actions of Creator. Creator removed the IS designated for that of Subject Ichika Orimura personal use, Creator was responsible for replacing Subject Ichika Orimura Personal IS with IS Raiden. Creator is responsible for the activation of IS Raiden and subsequent bonding to Subject Ichika Orimura. Subject Ichika Orimura is in danger because of the direct actions of Creator. Knight should feel negatively about Creator. It is a logical conclusion when accounting for human emotions in similar situations I have compiled data from."

"It's different for me Wolf, it's different for everyone. No matter how much data you look at, you never know how someone will react when something like this happens." Chifuyu once again gave the mechanical wolf a small smile, continuing to gently run her hand through Ichika's silver hair. The action was doing more to keep her calm as her mind flashed back to more peaceful times than anything else of note. "It's something you can't ever understand without emotions yourself."

"That is illogical. The data I have gathered has offered a 95% success rate with little margin for error." Wolf turned and fell back to the floor where it walked towards the door. "The logical action is to account for new data acquired from this conversation with you Knight but it will require indeterminate time to recompile and reanalyze all data I have collected therefore, to accomplish my current tasks, I will perform this action at a later date when it is most optimal."

"Wolf, thank you." Tabane's creation could never simply say things outright but after years of spending time with it, Chifuyu understood what Wolf really meant even if it wasn't outright said.

"I do not see the need to express gratitude, Knight." Wolf froze for a moment afterwards, his frame shrinking as parts moved and collapsed in on themselves. Wolf rapidly shrunk down, taking on a less block-like and mechanical appearance, rapidly streamlining as technology that would put the IS to shame put itself to work throughout its frame.

"Modifications complete." Wolf turned around, for less mechanical looking and more like an actual wolf if still very large, including the addition of pseudo-fur. "Past data collected by Creator has given me enough information to assume a more direct to public oriented form to better perform the orders as I have been directed. Knight, is this form acceptable for public interactions while I observe Subject Ichika Orimura?"

"You're fine Wolf. Just like always."

"Your words are acknowledged, appropriate response is gratitude. Thank you."

Wolf hopped onto the bed, observing Ichika for a moment before turning around and laying down.

"I will begin to guard Subject Ichika Orimura in this form. Current actions are deemed acceptable to orders from Creator."

"Thank you Wolf." Chifuyu stood up from her seat, Wolf nodding to her before its eyes locked onto the door as it opened.

"I told you all to stay out." Chifuyu was at the door before it could open, her foot stopping it as she only offered a glare to the people behind it, to the one responsible for opening the door. Being too curious without a sense of self preservation when something involved her brother was asking for trouble. "Leave before this gets much worse than it is already."

"You ca-"

"I can and I will, leave." She pushed and the door slammed shut.

She made sure to lock it this time.

Fear of her had held them back for as long as it could it seemed.

'Ichika, what the hell happened to you?' Houki Shinonono looked over the recordings from the battle between Ichika and Cecilia, trying to discover what caused the strange IS to latch onto him and change him like it did. Everything that was happening was unprecedented to begin with from Ichika being in the school to some of the things people were saying about his new and mysterious IS, some of the top IS researchers in the world said it was passing every theory out there and moving to a possible Fifth Generation, something that only put him in even more danger if not for Chifuyu...

Yes, if Houki learned one thing from today it was that Ichika's older sister could terrify the devil into submission.

 _"Shut up." The entire room fell silent when the black haired woman entered, Houki, along with a good majority of the students, watching from above, as the former Mondo Grosso participant took control of the room with ease. "I'm going to tell you all precisely what is going to happen and you will listen to me."_

 _"One, you will stay away from Ichika Orimura as has been previously agreed on with his guardian."_

 _"Two, the delicate nature of his studies here will remain a confidential matter as has been previously agreed on with his guardian."_

 _"And three, he will be having a personal instructor to continue his training in the proper use of an IS with adjustments to the agreed extents and levels of research allowed to be conducted."_

Houki had never been more terrified for her life than at that moment despite how short it had all lasted, not even two minutes if her phone was correct. Chifuyu Orimura could have an absolutely terrifying presence when she wished and it was best simply to follow her, something everyone present did as fast as possible.

'Ichika.' When he had started screaming, begging his sister to let him go, the kendo expert couldn't help the fear that swept through her when she remembered his eyes. His warm brown eyes were gone, replaced by something else. Whatever it was, it wasn't the Ichika she had known. Whatever it was, it was different, different in a absolutely terrifying way.

That entire IS he had used was horrifying. It was just supposed to be a temporary substitute until his own IS showed up, he was supposed to have time to train in it but then it was delayed and the system must have bugged because the match was moved up. It was nowhere near long enough for anyone could get his IS here. And then there was Cecil. She was far from her friend but she didn't deserve to face whatever thing took over Ichika for a moment.

 _"Get away from me!"_

The match shouldn't have even been allowed but everyone was so curious to see what Ichika could do. He was the only male to ever pilot an IS and no one was willing to wait and, as shaming as it was now, she had been the one to push him to use the IS. She just wanted him to get the hang of using an IS early, work out the majority of how to work the systems before really putting him to work in his own IS once it got here. It would have all worked out in the end, he would have had a few problems, probably lost, but he would get the basics down in a way that training simply couldn't do. He would have been easier to train afterwards and she would have helped him through a few rough patches while he got used to it before he could fight Cecil again. She had planned it all out, thought it all through, she just knew he would be better off getting some experience from someone like Cecil, she would push him but not really hurt him. Just embarrass him, wound his pride at worst.

Why did she have to be so wrong?

After Cecil had shot him in a panic, trying to stop him from attacking her with that sword of his, trying to save herself from actually being hurt...

It was the blood. No one had expected to see it when he was finally brought under control. It had terrified a few people once he was gone, wondering if as a consequence any IS would begin to kill a male pilot. She could already imagine the insane rumors that people would be coming up with on why and hot fast they would spread. The school was in a panic and, something she should probably get used to if today was any indication of the future, Ichika was at the middle of it all.

Ichika and his IS. **Her** favorite IS.

'What are you going to take away from me this time?'

"Bunny-chan."

She hated their codenames, they were either irritating to say or just embarrassing at times but she could put it aside, they were a necessity to remain in contact with her and right now they needed to talk before things got any worse. Her little brother was in danger because of one of Tabane's plans and right now she needed answers and she would have them delivered from the source or she would be forcefully taking them. Once she restated the message to the source of course: No one touched her little brother.

"Chi." No added -chan? She was taking this serious it seemed.

Good, this was no time for her normal games.

"Why did you do it?"

"I told you what I would do with Raiden Chi. It was either you wear it or this."

"I told you why I didn't wear it, too many bugs and too many dangers without thinking about your insane plan. The other one was far safer."

"I need data Chi, you know that and I of course know that. Raiden is dangerous but powerful and I need to work out all the bugs. We both know my little crazy boy is my strongest creation by far."

"I know you needed data and we had an agreement. I was willing to use it even so why does it have to be him? He's already in enough danger as it is so I do not need him to be wearing that stupid weapon you built!"

"Chi, you worry too much. Trust me when I tell you I have everything under control. My little puppy is there for a reason, data collection and protection!" And the normal Tabane had finally made her return it seemed. "He'll make sure nothing happens to your little brother and I'll have plenty of data for my research on Raiden to see what made all those bugs in the first place."

"I would have worn it for you. Ichika doesn't even know the basics! He won't even know how to activate it!"

"No! That's why he needs to be the one!"

"What? Have you finally lost your mind? He can kill someone with that thing!"

"Raiden is like nothing else besides a few other IS I've developed ever since we launched Shiro-kun and started all of this. I added enough improvements to the neural interface to fix all of the little bugs given time and let Ichika work out the problems himself. The human mind is the most powerful computer so I decided to put it to use. Save me some work."

"What are you talking about?"

"They've created Generations for the IS, right? Well my Raiden is past even their most outlandish theories and my Raiden is precisely what _they_ are after, our mutual friends."

"And did you honestly think it was a good idea to paint that type of target on Ichika's back?"

"He's special. Don't act like he didn't already have a giant one anyway. I'm helping him even if you can't see it now. I'm giving him more worth to keep around. His value has gone up exponentially to everyone after him so he'll be safe as long as they focus on tearing each other apart trying to get to him."

"Value? You think I care about his 'value' to those monsters? I wanted him out of this school by the end of the year! People would have realized he had no talent and forgotten about him! He would have been safe from all of this then!"

"Safe? Don't make me laugh Chi." Tabane hated her when she was serious and the feeling was mutual, Tabane being serious meant she couldn't be talked down, couldn't be reasoned with if she had her own plan in mind, her own vision she was working towards. It was rare but once she was committed to anything she was suddenly impossible to stop until she decided to. It was one of her more annoying characteristics. An eccentric genius that enjoyed having fun for most of the time or someone that saw people like an experiment, working towards an end only she could guess.

"Ichika would never be safe from anyone ever again. The moment we agreed to launch Shiro-kun we made his destiny. He'll always be hunted no matter what. Some people would want to know how he can do what he does and others don't like you and know he's one of your only weaknesses, maybe even your only one. People will always come after him no matter what you may say. He'll never be 'safe' like you want him to be. Your concept of 'safe' is nothing more than a highly delusional thought brought on by your past actions towards his well being proving successful enough for you. The eventual conclusion, the only logical end to all of this if he was to leave the academy, would be his death. I put him in danger? Don't think for a second you aren't responsible for everything that happens to him from all the attempted kidnappings, to all the bullying and harassment. Everything can be tied back to you even if you won't admit it. I just gave him a chance to change all of that. He can protect himself with my Raiden and make people who come after him pay. I'm the one who's really protecting him and he's not even my brother. Now, can we continue our conversation or will I have to call you later Chifuyu?"

The line was completely silence for several moments, Chifuyu being very mindful of her own strength was the only reason the phone in her hand was not snapped in half as she swiftly calmed herself down. Didn't mean she wouldn't send the same back to Tabane.

"Don't think you aren't the same."

"...I suppose I went a bit too far there Chi-chan."

"You did."

"I'm sorry, I guess I got a little angry."

"Just tell me if you have any actual plans this time."

"A few, my puppy is there for one and I programmed a few things into Raiden here and there when I had some spare time. It all should be enough to keep him from doing anything really dangerous until the glitches are worked out."

"Speaking of the glitches, which ones are still a problem?"

"Now you know that already Chi-chan! Only Jack of course."

There was only one word that completely summed up the situation.

"Fuck."

* * *

AN: Nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I. Still. Do. Not. Own.

AN: A horse is worth about thirteen crows but only four chickens? Something like that.

* * *

"Orimura-sensei." Seamlessly her closest ally at the school joined her and matched her steps without breaking stride. Keeping her quick pace and walking with her down the halls was an accomplishment with all the running she must had been doing across the campus.

"Maya, its good to see you safe and sound. Is everything done?" Her mind was already running through what she would need to do, things she knew her ally was incapable of completing or ill equipped to handle.

"All recordings of the incident have been edited or removed, both public and private sources, security drones have been dispatched to the area outside Ichika's room as well as across the school, and I have the students gathered in their rooms. Communication outside the academy has also been blocked for the time being but it won't last for long. The teachers have been alerted as well, most with minimum detail and have begun to patrol the halls. The more skilled instructors have been ordered to be ready to make use of her IS if a threat is detected. I have a tablet for you that shows their positions as well."

"Thank you." Half of her list was automatically removed with what the assistant teacher had managed to accomplish in such a short amount of time. Several more tasks were added once she accepted the tablet and began looking over the information on it.

"It's my job Orimura-sensei, I would never be bad at it. Is there anything else I need to do?" Maya stopped when she did, the hallway deserted. This area was delegated to Maya herself with few teachers close by. She was most likely heading up to the roof to watch over the majority of the school from it.

"Keep an eye on Houki, she's the girl most likely to react poorly to all of this." Chifuyu couldn't help her sigh as she thought of what the girl must have been thinking right now. She must have been panicked with what she had seen happen. "Make sure she doesn't leave her room. Stay with her if you have to. I'll speak with Cecil myself later and make sure she knows to keep this all to the academy."

"What about that mechanical dog?"

"What dog?"

"You called him Wolf."

She gave Maya too little credit.

"Ignore it for now. Wolf's just an extra precaution from a...associate."

"Of course Orimura-sensei."

She REALLY gave Maya too little credit. Few people would accept such a short answer but Maya trusted her deeply it seemed. At least enough not to question her for now. She hoped she didn't get curious before Ichika woke up. She didn't want to explain this all twice. The more times she spoke, the better chance that they could be eavesdroppers. The girls of the IS Academy were too curious for their own good most of the time. Ichika being here somehow just made that curiosity all the more greater. And dangerous for all of them.

"Thank you Maya." She felt she needed to thank her again but the assistant teacher only smiled at her.

"I'm doing my job Orimura-sensei." She was gone with that.

She was left alone.

The screen in her hands flashed.

The tablet nearly broke in her hands.

"I thought we were done talking." They were. There was no reason to be talking no. No reason to have to restrain herself with every ounce of self control she had.

"Your assistant is wonderful Chi-chan. You should give her a vacation." She ignored her rage. She was working on what had to be four different things at once.

"What do you want?" There was a reason. There had to be a reason.

It was only that thought that stopped her from destroying the tablet.

"I just have a little update on naughty little Jack. That little glitch is after my own heart. Hijacking my systems and integrating itself into the entirety of Raiden's OS. That's just dedication." The genius sighed, almost as if she was in love. "I can't begin to tell you how much of an accomplishment that is. Jack is basically Raiden at this point. More or less. There's a way to remove it from the systems but it's not likely to do Ichika any favors. Especially this early into the adaption stage. You remember that don't you? When you first tried out Raiden's original prototype model?"

The near instant bloodlust? The instant rage? Being angry at everything for just existing around her? Being angry at herself for existing? The sheer desire to hurt something that blossomed into an all consuming need to destroy. Trying to tear the IS off the moment she managed to surface above the sea of hatred that she had nearly drowned in? Above the insanity of Jack?

She would always remember Tabane's spiel about 'adaption' and 'normal process' when she was held down by too many of the girl's machines to count and still struggling for freedom, for that taste of carnage. Remember every word she spoke when she had no choice but to force Raiden off line. And the sheer pain Tabane's only solution caused.

"Yes." The screen broke in her hands.

Tabane's fractured images frowned at her.

"It was that bad?" The genius almost seemed apologetic. Almost. Perhaps it was sincere.

"What does this mean for Ichika?" She could prevent herself from breaking the device by focusing on him.

"Good or bad first Chi-chan?" Her smile was back. A green smiling face and a red frowning face appeared for her to choose between.

The screen broke again. Her fingers left indents in the body of the tablet.

"Don't play games with me. There's nothing good about that... _thing_." The red frowning face pressed itself. It moved to the center of the broken screen without another word from Tabane.

"Jack is completely integrated into Raiden's OS like I said before. And thanks to my adjustments to the neural interface, Jack has the same amount of influence on Ichika as Raiden normally would. Don't be worried. Jack can only get to Ichika, mess with him like he did in the match, when he uses Raiden to affect his level of perception. The "slow time" effect you described to me. Beyond that, expect minor personality alterations. Nothing extreme but be on the lookout and report anything strange to my puppy. I've already pre-programmed the appropriate responses in." The frowning face was replaced with the green smiling face. "Good news time!" Confetti rained down the screen. 'GOOD NEWS' lit up the screen in a variety of colors. "Raiden is 100% operational right now!"

"That means..."

"Ichi-kun is awake!"

Before Tabane had even finished, Chifuyu was racing down the halls.

Tabane followed her progress down the halls through the multitude of cameras she had installed in the school via drones.

"You know, it's rude to completely ignore your friend Chifuyu." The genius behind the IS, behind the change that swept over the world almost over night, and the one responsible for Ichika's current condition sighed. "I don't even get to tell you how much work I put into fixing Jack. Or the little countermeasures I'm putting into place. Your brother is going to get through all this because of my generosity and I hardly get a thank you."

She leaned back in her seat and rubbed at her sore eyes. The robotic bunny ears on her head twitched a moment later.

They picked up a signal.

"Huh?" She twisted her chair around and stared at another monitor, taking in the coded information flashing across the screen too fast for anyone else to even begin to decipher it. Her ears continued to twitch as more monitors lit up.

The genius turned her chair back around and couldn't help but shake her head. A small, if sad, smile crossed her face.

"I should have known you would go to him. She still can't admit she has a crush on him." Tabane decided to help her somewhat estranged sister out.

The determined look on her face as she marched down the halls of the school was just too adorable after all.

"Let's see what Big Sis can do to help."

A door here and there? Easy.

Cameras looping an empty hall for as long as it took her to get past? Easier.

Unlocking the completely normal door to Ichika's room? Easiest.

Wolf had a manipulator tail after all.

Wolf greeted her at the door.

"So what's the story?" Why should she ask the direct line to her sister what was going on? Her sister helped her get this far (bunny heads flashing on a few of the screens she passed made it obvious) so she might as well see what was happening and, more importantly, why she had given Raiden to Ichika.

"Creator has restricted your access to my data banks. Creator left instructions to play this recording once I encountered you. Beginning audio playback."

" _Hi Houki-chan! Big Sis here! So, I know you're probably really mad at me and all but don't worry. Your little boyfriend is going to be fine. Okay. Not fine like fine but at least...math's a bit difficult here...I'll say thirty percent? Twenty eight at the least. Ballpark it for yourself. Soooo...go to your cutie and have fun! But you better use protection! I'll know if you don't. Bye!"_

"Ending audio playback."

Houki was red.

Wolf even looked embarrassed.

Ichika was just confused.

"H-Houki? What are you d-" It was a far as the just awoken platinum haired teen got before he was forced back.

"Don't you ever worry me like that again!" Houki had him tightly wrapped in her arms in hardly a flash. She didn't look at him. Her eyes were already watering. She pulled him closer, ignored the fact he was half dressed. Ignored everything but the fact that he was awake. That he wasn't just some vegetable on a bed. That he wasn't hurt any worse than she thought. That he was still Ichika. Even with something like Raiden. "Do you have any idea how worried I was about you!"

"I'm sorry..." Tentatively he wrapped one arm around her, held her nearly as tight. The other was too heavy to lift with the vambrace of Raiden. "I don't even know what happened but...I'm sorry for scaring you."

"I'm not the one you need to apologize too for that. Cecilia is." The girl was arrogant but she didn't deserve to fight Raiden.

No one did.

"Yeah." His arm dropped to his side. "I can hardly remember what happened...what I did...but I can remember enough."

He tried to pull away then, keep her away from him. Keep her away from what Raiden had turned him into. Houki held on tighter. She absolutely refused to release him.

"Don't you dare." Her voice cut through his own growing despair. "I swear, if you do something stupid like blame yourself, say any of that was your fault, I'll-I'll-I'll do something to you, understood!"

"Yeah..." He sighed. If it was relief or something else he didn't know. He just knew there was a heavy weight gone from his chest. "Crystal."

"Good." She finally pulled back, loosened her hold if only a little. Their eyes met.

The wooden shinai bobbed him on the head a second later.

"DON'T EVER WORRY ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!"

"OW! WHERE DID THAT EVEN COME FROM!"

"It doesn't matter." Houki stepped back in full, looked away as she ran a hand through her hair to deal with nonexistent tangles. "Just meet me at the same place, same time, tomorrow for your new training."

"T-Training?" He seemed honestly surprised. She shook her head.

"You have a Personal IS now. A...strange one but a Personal IS. You need to know what it can do. I'll reserve a private training room for tomorrow. No one but you and me will be there so don't be late."

Normal. Make things normal again and everything will be alright. That's what she needs to do. Keep training him, keep helping him, and keep him from doing anything before she understood exactly what she was dealing with.

It would work. It had to work.

"It almost sounds like you two are planning a date." Neither had heard the door open behind them, let Chifuyu into the room.

She strode across the room, ignored the way the two turned red and began to sputter, and grabbed hold of Ichika's arm.

"I've been in contact with Tabane Shinonono and she and I both agreed to let you leave the infirmary as long as you keep the machine she sent with you. She calls it Wolf. It's been monitoring your condition since you passed out and will continue to do so. If you feel anything irregular or concerning, come find me immediately. Regardless, I'll want regular updates on your condition. Once a day at minimum until I say otherwise." She spoke as she examined the vambrace on his arm, looked over it in search of something, and frowned when she didn't find it.

She released his arm.

"Your training with Houki will not be suspended for now but will be supervised by either myself or Maya. I'll be responsible for seeing how far you've improved two weeks from now with my IS." Her eyes, having searched him for any hidden injuries, locked with his. "It will be as private as I can mad it."

"Thank you..." He didn't know what else to say.

His sister wordlessly embraced him. It was much shorter than Houki's but it meant almost more.

"Be safe Ichika." Her words were nearly too quiet for him to hear before she let him go.

Chifuyu stepped away and looked to Houki.

"He'll be your responsibility while I'm busy for the next few weeks." She offered the girl something as their eyes locked, a unspoken promise. "Don't let him do anything foolish in that time."

 _I'm trusting you._

 _I know._

"The students are excused from class for at least the rest of the day. Head to your rooms and do not leave it until instructed. I'll overlook your violation for now Ms. Shinonono but don't make a habit out of disobeying your instructors." Chifuyu looked to both students before she turned to the door. "I cleared away the unwelcome guest outside before I came in. They should be gone a little while longer."

She left.

The two followed her.

* * *

AN: A train is about as fast as a oiled up hog sweating like a pig sliding down a muddy hill in the middle of July?


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I will never own this thing. Unless I get a genie. But what if it's a reverse genie?

AN: There'll be an actual one at the bottom of this chapter concerning the future of Raiden.

* * *

He stared at himself.

Red eyes stared back at him.

His hand was raised. The reflection raised its hand. The reflection that looked almost nothing like him. That same hand mirrored him as he moved it to his head.

His hair wasn't like this before. Shouldn't be like this.

He just stared as he grabbed hold of the silver locks there. A handful. He released it as if it was a dangerous beast, something that would strike back. He reached for it again. He grabbed hold of it.

He pulled. He winced at the pain.

He pulled again. He closed his eyes at the pain.

He pulled again.

He settled for only a single strand afterward. He pulled it from his head without hesitation. It wasn't his. It couldn't be his. It had to be fake, a joke. The pain proved it was his, proved it wasn't fake, proved it belonged to him and only him.

The stranger in the mirror stared at him. He looked away, looked to the hair he held between his fingers instead.

He stared at it. Stared at the hair that wasn't his and his. He ignored his reflection, focused on what was in front of him instead. He focused only on the proof in front of him.

His free hand moved through the hair that wasn't his. It swept it back, pushed it back, and the reflection did the same. Red eyes stared past the hair, stared at him as much as he stared at it.

Neither moved.

Neither blinked.

He simply looked.

The reflection, the stranger, stared back at him.

He dropped his hand. The reflection did the same, let the hair fall in the sink. He turned his face, stared at his jaw.

His fingers lightly grazed it.

The reflection, the stranger, copied him.

He pressed his fingers to his cheek and pushed up, watched it rise through the eye on that side before it was forced to close.

The stranger mocked him. A single red eye stared back at him. Two stared at him as he released his face, opened his eye again.

He turned his face the other way. Let his hand travel across it. The reflection did the same. The stranger copied him again.

He stared.

Red eyes stared back.

He reached out.

The stranger reached out.

He touched the cool surface of the glass. The stranger did the same.

He pulled away.

A metal hand grabbed hold of his wrist. Clawed fingers dug into his skin. He braced his hand on the counter and pulled. The vice was unyielding, offered nothing. Red eyes flashed.

CRACK

"Ichika!" The sound of broken glass made her break down the door.

She found him hunched over the sink, his entire body trembling. Blood dotted the sink as much as the shattered glass filled the bowl. She spotted the source in an unbroken portion of the mirror.

Ichika cradled one hand to his chest for a reason after all. It was probably full of glass.

"I'm sorry..." His shaking voice snapped her out of her analysis of the scene. She moved out of the empty doorway and towards him. He was shaking, his hair hiding his eyes from her. "I-I didn't mean to do that."

"It doesn't matter." She stopped next to him, held out her hands. "Let me see your hand."

"I-It's fine." He didn't draw it away. He didn't even look at her. She could see his tears splatter on the sink. Them and the growing drops of blood. "You can go to sleep."

"Let me see your hand Ichika." She wasn't leaving. He had to know that.

"I'll clean up later." He was acting as if she wasn't speaking to him. He wouldn't rise up, wouldn't even look at her. She didn't even know if his eyes were open still. He was trembling right in front of her, bleeding right in front of her, crying right in front of her, and he expected her to leave him like this.

"Don't make me get my shinai." She stopped asking. She gently reached for his hand, wrapped hers around his, ignored the warm blood already covering hers, and gently pried his hand free from his red chest.

She moved one hand away to open a nearby drawer as she examined his hand. Silvers of glassed dotted around where he had punched the mirror. She expected it. She began to work with the tweezers she pulled out.

TING

One bloody silver of glass dropped onto the counter.

"I still can't believe Cecilia dueled you for such a petty reason. I don't even think she wanted to be class rep." She focuses on his hand, on the next silver of glass lodged in his fist.

TING.

"She's lucky I didn't fight her. I would have destroyed her in a second." The next was found, grabbed by the tweezers between her fingers.

TING.

"Too focused on long range. Useless if she doesn't have any real support. Two on two? Any team vs team events? She could win any fight for her side. Enough time to actually charge up her shots with someone competent working with her. Me for example."

TING.

TING.

TING.

Three came out as she spoke, dropped onto the growing bloody collection on the sink. She didn't focus on it, focused on how many she had left instead.

"She would be great to whittle down shields before a strong finishing blow. Or be the finisher herself. She's no doubt prettystrong, being the England Rep and all."

TING.

"...I could still probably beat her...Easy..."

TING.

The last piece was gone. She dropped the blood tipped tweezers to the counter.

"...Ichika..." She grabbed his glass free hand, ignored the blood coming from it. She didn't look at him, focused on his hand. "We...we need to clean it now. Your hand."

She pulled his bloody hand to the sink, placed it under the faucet. She used the back of her free hand to turn on the hot water.

"We need to make sure there's no pieces left. Do you feel anymore?"

"..." He didn't answer her. She had hoped he would at least nod but he hadn't looked up since she had come in, hadn't looked away from the blood.

"Ichika, is there any more glass in your hand?"

"..." Silence greeted her again.

She searched for herself.

She found a single stubborn silver, hidden away in the space between his fingers.

"Hold still." She shut the water off, grabbed the tweezers with her wet hand. "This one will hurt. It's in pretty deep."

She lifted his hand up, grabbed hold of the small portion of exposed glass. She gave it a gentle pull, hoping to dislodge it nice and easy. It stubbornly held on. Like she expected.

"This may take a while." She didn't want to wriggle it, do any more damage, so gently pulled at it again. It gave ground to her.

"...I'm sorry about the mirror..." Ichika finally spoke again. Houki acknowledged it by pulling sharply on the glass.

It slid free.

"And I thought I had to make that painful." She washed his hand of blood again, washed hers as well. "I'll find something to wrap your hand with."

"No...I can find something..." Houki narrowed her eyes at him.

"You sound off. Are you sure you're alright?" Her fingers left his hands and went to his throat, checked his pulse. She stared at him, pressed hard enough to give him the message.

He lifted his head.

She stared into red ruby red eyes. She rose her finger on her free hand up, moved it back and forth in front of him. He followed it without difficulty.

"I'm thinking about getting a flashlight...Do I need to Ichika?" Houki was surprised when he suddenly smiled at her.

"You would make a great doctor." She figured she turned as red as his eyes.

"I-Idiot." She withdrew her hands and pulled back. She was suddenly very mindful of the fact she was just in her sleepwear. "D-Don't say things like that." She didn't storm out the bathroom. She may have turned away but she glanced out of the corner of her eyes at him. "Do you promise not to punch anymore mirrors?"

"Yes." He nodded as he looked to the fractured mirror. Looked at the dozens of strangers in front of him.

"Then come on." She grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him out the bathroom. "I'll finish with you in the room."

He wordlessly followed.

She coaxed him onto her bed for now as she began tearing one of his shirts into strips. He was careful to keep his hand up, Houki gently wrapping the improvised bandage around it.

"There, that should do it for now. We'll take you to the infirmary tomorrow but for now you should live through the night." She looked him over once more.

"Y-You lost a lot of blood so, j-just for tonight, you can sleep on my bed. Just because you can go into shock or something and I wouldn't know until morning." She watched him lay down, ignored how red her face. "D-Don't even think about trying anything."

"Thank you Houki." The gratitude in his voice made her sigh as she laid down next to him.

A respectful distance between them obvious.

"Your sister put me in charge of you and she's terrifying when she's mad. Trust me, I'm saving myself a lot of pain taking care of you." She reached out, ran a hand through his swept back silver hair.

"I'm styling that for you in the morning."

"What? Why?"

"You need a certain style to pull off silver hair obviously. Do you know anything some times?"

"I never knew that. Who says I have to anyway?"

"I do. Now go to sleep."

She closed her eyes, purposely feigned sleep. He stared at her for a moment before chuckling.

"Good night Houki."

Red eyes drifted close.

CRACK

They snapped open when he heard glass shatter.

"What the? Houki?" The girl was absent. He glanced to the nearby clock. He was usually the first one up at this time.

CRACK

He threw himself out of bed when he heard glass break again.

"H-Houki, what are you doing?" It was the only thing to ask as he stared at the bathroom. Stared at Houki's recent "renovations" to it.

The mirror he had partially broken last night was simply gone now, shattered into countless pieces by Houki's expertly wielded shinai. The weapon was held in a white knuckle grip at the moment, the glass leaving its mark on the solid wood.

"Meh, we need to replace the mirror anyway right?" She shrugged her shoulders, let the shinai rest at her side, and walked out the bathroom. "I'll clean it up after we get back from class. You better help me with my hair since you broke it last night Ichika."

The girl spoke no more, left to go get ready actually, and Ichika only stared at the now clear wall in front of him.

There was no stranger to stare back now.

He swept his hand back through his silver hair. He didn't know if he should be relieved or worried about what just happened, what Houki had done for no reason. He settled for neither. He turned and left the bathroom.

"Don't you have to help me with mine? You're the one who told me I don't wear it right anymore!"

"After mine! Now hurry up and get in here! You better remember how to do this right or that mirror won't be the only thing broken."

* * *

AN: Raiden has not been updated for years because I don't have a lot of focus for it. Full disclosure there. I hardly know anything about the story of Infinite Stratos, hardly care to research it for what was a one off for a harem anime, and still really don't care to research it. So yeah, don't really get your hopes up for this thing actually being updated on any type of schedule (like anything I write). If there's any desire to see it updated more often, contact me through PM or something. Offer information on what exactly happens in Infinite Stratos so I can at least know how Raiden effects the story (more than I already know and that's not a lot). Hell, if you want to, ask to adopt it and I'll gladly tell you my general plans for this thing. I have a general plan for this story but that's about it. An ending is kind of there but it's not exactly there. It's been a rough thing I've been working on whenever I get the feeling to.

And this has turned into a ramble. Apologies.

Long story short: Raiden isn't a main focus. Don't expect a lot from me about it. If you want to know about it, contact me.

Peace.


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